Tombstones

In the summer of 2016 I decided to ditch the store-bought tombstones and build my own! I picked up 2 large sheets of 2" insulated foam board from Lowe's and found a great template online. I scaled them to size using 11x17" sheets of paper. Then, using a box cutter traced them. They were cut out using band saw, as I found a foam wire cutter wouldn't work well on this thick board.

The Epitaphs were done using printed out designs that I created in Photoshop, layed on the tombstones, taped and drilled out with a drimmel tool. This was a messy project as the shavings would get everywhere. Strongly suggest gloves and protective goggles here! After this step, I blew them off with an air compressor and began painting. In the near future I plan on adding some rustic gray and moss as well.

Each tombstone was then attached to a cut out 1x1" board. I screwed and glued them to the back of each. Each stake also had 2 small holes drilled into its side. This would allow me to run a zip tie through the hole and wrap around another stake in the yard. This way you aren't hammering the stake that's attached to the tombstone. Add a few skulls and bones and a little light (see lighting below) and you're all set!

In 2019 all of our tombstones got a fresh coat of paint and weathering, to make them look old and dirty. This was done by a darker coat of gray, mixed with some browns and greens. Then I added spanish moss in various spots. Our pumpkins throughout the cemetery also received a fresh coat of paint.

The Fence

The fence was completely constructed using scraps of plywood for the posts and the fence itself was from pallets that were stripped down and nailed together! Throw a few old branches, limbs, ivy and some lights to create that spooky effect! For our trick or treaters we ran a small landscaping fence up our front walk, complete with orange bulb lights that I purchased at Target.

Our Flying Ghost

In 2018 I got a wild idea to create a ghost that would fly throughout the yard between two points. After watching several videos and reviewing what I found as the 'axworthy ghost', I decided to create my own. Beginning with a wheel, motor, fishing line and pullies (and LOTS of trial and error), I had successfully created our ghost. In 2020 I decided to extend the path by adding a 3rd wheel.

The Ghost is consisted of a styrofoam ball draped in white cloth. The key is to make him as lightweight as possible. Braided fishing wire is used for the line and we control the speed with a speed controller. Our ghost doesn't fly each evening, only on premier nights but it truly is a sight to see! We have plans in the future to add blacklights so he can be seen better from the road.

There's no doubt this piece really sets the cemetery apart from other displays, but it's by far the most stressful! If you are curious in doing this on your own, one thing I will mention is to have a system in which you can adjust the tension on your line. This will make a huge difference. Expect your line to fall as weather conditions will cause shifts and weight differences. I also recommend using a colored fishing line so that when your line does fall, it's easier to see.

Our Singing Pumpkins

First appearing for the 2019 display, this display features 3 animated pumpkins that sing, tell stories and will make you laugh! The setup here ia a hidden projector which projects the video, along with sound. These guys are a child's favorite and are sure to stop you in your tracks!

The Witch

One of our first 'props', the Witch and her cauldron is still an eye-catcher from anywhere in the yard! She tends to move locations each year so be on the lookout! The cauldron will bubble and smoke while the ashes have a amber glow!

Haunted Windows

In 2017 I expanded from the outside yard to inside the house by adding a haunted room! In 2020 we added another haunted room upstairs! Be sure to keep your eyes and ears open, because our sound is tied into these haunted ghosts!

Lighting, Fog & Sounds

In my opinion, this is the most important part of the entire display. It's the first thing people notice when they turn down the street. I joke around, saying I have over 5 miles of drop cords but it takes a lot. Lighting can become very expensive, but I found several great ideas that continue to work year after year WITHOUT breaking my wallet. I wanted each tombstone lit. Instead of buying a spotlight for each, I took large tin cans (coffee cans work the best), drilled a hole in the bottom and painted them black. Then I strung several strands of C9 cords throughout the yard and where a tombstone was needed I used 2 orange C9 bulbs.

The rest of the yard uses green spotlights from Wal-Mart, some LED flood lights (purple or green) and I tint my landscaping lights around the house with some cellophane. Be sure you're using LED's here or it may melt the cellopane. I've also began using "Blinkies", which randomly flash light. They are strung high up in my trees in the yard. You can buy these on Amazon and even buy different colored bulbs for the holidays. In the near future I plan on adding blacklights so that our ghost is seen better from the street.

For fog, I have 2 fog machines. My heavy duty one is a ADJ1000, and the other is a much smaller unit placed on the other side of our walk. A few years ago I created a fog chiller using a old cooler, some PVC pipe and lots of frozen bottles and ice. I discontinued using the chiller (just because re-filling with ice or frozen bottles became a headache) in 2021. To distribute the fog I used corrugated pipe with holes drilled into it, and for the smaller fog machine I used a plastic water line with drilled holes. The fog machines have timers attached to randomly distribute the fog!

For the sound, I run a few speakers around the cemetery tied to a receiver that pulls audio from the haunted window upstairs. I have also used various mp3 sounds of "spooky sound effects" as well. Since I have the singing pumpkins display I make sure not to run a speaker near that area.

Our Department 56 Halloween Village

I had always had Christmas villages growing up as a kid, but it wasn't until 2009 that my first born daughter was given a Department 56 piece, from their Halloween series that struck my interest! Starting with the "Rickety Railroad Station", has now multiplied into over 60 pieces! I love the setup, glowing colors and sounds that each one sets off.

It takes around 2 days of setup and in 2020 I decided to make my own custom platforms after seeing several pictures and DIY projects on YouTube. I used a combination of widths of insulated foam sheets, cut them with a hot wire knife, painted, sculpted and decorated. I absolutely love how this project turned out!

Here are video setups of previous years!
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020